Windows 10 Creator’s Update has quite a few improvements over the original release of the operating system. Here are the brand new features in the new Settings app you need to know about.
New in Settings
For years we have always gone to Programs and Features in the Control Panel to view the apps that are installed and to uninstall them.
Windows 10 partially moved some of the features into the Settings app, but the Creator’s Update goes even further and there is now an Apps section in Settings.
Mostly this pulls out features that were already elsewhere in Settings and they are simply better organised now. However, there are one or two new features too.
New Apps & features
There are four subsections in Apps and top of the list is Apps & features. This enables you to choose where apps can be installed from. Apps can be installed from anywhere, you can be warned when installing apps from outside of the Store, or the third option, which is the most restrictive, is to Allow apps from the Store only.
The big question is where is this heading? Will the third option be the only one at some point in the future? Microsoft would probably like this, but there are just too many apps outside of the Store to enforce this option.
Probably the only use for it is if a child uses the computer. Store apps are safer than downloading from dodgy websites on the internet.
For anyone else, this is a bit of a pointless setting at the moment because you are going to set it to allow apps from anywhere.
This may be implemented in a similar way to the Apple Mac Store. On the Mac you won’t get a warning outside of the store for known top developers. Windows 10 might do a similar thing and only display warnings for unknown developers.
Uninstall and reset apps
Store apps and software installed from outside of the store are all listed in Apps & features, and they can be uninstalled - providing they are not part of Windows system.
Built in apps like the store cannot be moved or uninstalled, regular ones can. However, there is an Advanced options link and this lets you reset the app. It might help to fix the app if it is not working.
Uninstall Internet Explorer 11
In Apps & features is a link to manage optional features. This is not new, but now Internet Explorer appears on the list of optional items. Click it and there is a button to uninstall it.
Looks like Microsoft has managed to separate Internet Explorer from Windows and you can now get rid of it. There is no reason to use it these days and it is old technology that is paste its use-by date.
It frees up all of 1.73MB, which suggests it is merely disabled rather than being deleted from the disk.
Apps for websites
This feature is no different in the Creator’s Update, but it has been moved to the Apps section.
Some apps, such as Facebook, are available as a website and a Store app. These settings let you decide whether to open links in a web browser or an app.
New Gaming options
The Game bar has been a feature of Windows 10 from the start. Pressing Windows+G displays the Game bar and you could record gaming sessions.
The settings have now been moved from the Game bar to the Settings app. Click Gaming to configure them.
Game Mode is a new feature in Creator’s Update and it prioritises gaming when it is turned on. Games can turn this on by themselves, but for those that don’t do this automatically, switch to Settings and turn it on.
There isn’t a lot of information about it, but it probably puts off downloading updates, security scans, notifications and other non-essential tasks. It should prioritise CPU and GPU usage for the game.
I haven’t seen much evidence that it makes any significant difference to games, but it is early days and all the tests I have seen have been with the beta of Creator’s Update.
It might make some games better, but it could make some games worse, so try it with different ones and see if it improves them.
There are also game broadcasting options that enable you share the gaming action with friends, but it is up against tough competition with the likes of Twitch and YouTube.
In the Settings app you can set the audio quality, turn on the mic, set the mic volume, turn on the webcam when you broadcast, and adjust many more features related to streaming gaming activities.
Want to watch people playing games? Head over to the Beam website in a browser. The Beam game streaming service is built into Windows 10 Creator’s Update.
I’m sure there are more changes in the Settings app waiting to be discovered. Have a good look around and see what’s new. I’ll highlight more changes as I find them.
Be the first to comment